A sound sleep in the eternal lullaby of the ocean in a modernly equipped thatched bungalow.

Vietnam Heritage, September-October 2011 Advertorial-- A sound sleep in the eternal lullaby of the ocean in a modernly equipped thatched bungalow. A leisurely walk _along crystal rivulets, where fish of all species leisurely nibble at the pistia. A tasteful breakfast in the beachfront restaurant, from where now and then one gets to see a muzzy iguana hesitantly crawling out of the morning-glories. An idle sunbath on the beach while admiring sparrows flit catching silhouettes in the coconut leaves. A dream come true? Well, maybe it is more than a dream come true at four-star Bamboo Village Beach Resort, in Mui Ne, Binh Thuan, about 200 kilometres to the northeast of Ho Chi Minh City.First, it is bamboos, as the name indicates. Clumps of bamboos dot along the sinuous walks. Chunks of bamboos make the beds in the seafront bungalows. Bamboo slats decorate the ceiling of the reception hall. There is bamboo in the laundry baskets, the lamp shades, in the overall feeling of delicate tranquillity one never misses at the resort.In that realm of bamboos, elegance is the touchstone, on which comfort, sophistication, luxury and convenience are based, making Bamboo Village what it is.Water Lily Spa clearly illustrates this idea. Natural-ingredient therapy massage, spotless white futons, a wondrous view of the square pond, in which pink water lily petals are opening to catch the melting golden sunbeams, bananas and rose-mallows posture over the placid water surface, all are arranged in a way that looks both natural and neat.Nature is also, distinctively at Bamboo Village, about grace. The bright golden trumpets pace up and down over the lush green coiffed lawn. The dark green ornamental creepers crawl on the light brown earth walls. Or the tiny pinkish blossoming hearts of coral vines lighten up the darkish thatch roof… All combine to create the peaceful, yet joyous, harmony of shapes, and colours, fragrances, and species.Exemplifying sustainable development since its birth in 1998, Bamboo Village Beach Resort manages to preserve 400 coconut trees, which are dozens of years old.Also, ‘Ours is the only resort in Vietnam to keep the sandy embankment,’ said Pham Phuong Dung, deputy manager of Bamboo Village Beach resort. Ms Pham, whose life and career has been with the resort since its early days, talked about unrewarding efforts until sand-bag embankment became tried and true.In contrast with the concrete walls at neighbouring resorts, the sand bags have proved many advantages, both environmentally and economically.In addition to, and more important than, preserving the natural look of the beach, sand bags, though cheap to prepare, absorb water, prevent the waves from pounding the shore, eroding the sand and creating dangerous holes. When the tide recedes the area in front of Bamboo Village stands out as flat beach in the strip along the ‘resort capital’ of Mui Ne. ‘In the flood season, eroded places are drowned and we often have vacationers from the neighbouring resorts come share the plage,’ Ms Pham told Vietnam Heritage, with pride in her voice.Her subordinate, Mr Tran Nhi Binh, added that every month they have a Green Day, when all the staff, in green uniform, join hands to clean up the environment in and around the resort. ‘Guests give us a hand too. And it’s real fun,’ he said.Environment-friendliness is conducted in every little activity, in the signs calling for saving water, encouraging re-using the towels, in the compact fluorescent lights, etc.,Playing a part in the luxuriance of the vegetation at Bamboo Village is the wastewater treatment system, which produces environmentally-safe water for the flora. ‘The only water we directly issue into the sea is rainwater,’ said Pham Phuong Dung, the deputy manager.When it comes to accommodation, Bamboo Village Beach Resort offers a full range of options: the Dove Cottage with the true sense of quiet, peaceful isolation, or comfortable, homelike superior rooms, or stylized, high-class Deluxe, or the modern, relaxing Nova Deluxe, or a stylish Queen room and Prince rooms, or a graceful, romantic bungalow.Built specially to pay tribute to traditional Vietnamese cottages, while highlighting the unique beauty of the bamboo, the thatched-roof, rammed-earth wall bungalows are the soul of this recreation spot. They are what makes the ‘village’ factor in the name of the resort and where Bamboo Village started back in the late 1990s. Each features breathtaking oceanic views, hand-designed and creative landscape.Wherever you are at the resort, the things you can never miss are: the pure fresh air, the joyous dances of the eternal waves, the refreshing chirps of innocent, happy wild birds, the flourishing greenness of the carefully-selected flora, the utmost comfort of the modern facilities, your satisfaction and the desire to come back.‘This place gives us an opportunity to feel the nature and the soul of Vietnam country,’ wrote The President of the Moscow Region (RS IPA - International Police Association) on the website of the Bamboo Village Beach Resort after his stay at Bamboo Village Beach Resort in July this year.